Ultra-Low-Power Radiation-Hard Electronics

We propose to build and test prototype circuits that use a novel, programmable, microfabricated continuously variable resistor (CVR) composed of a metal-chalcogenide alloy. Our Phase I research will demonstrate the feasibility of using this unique device in actual circuit applications. The CVR is a unique circuit element that does not operate as either a phase-change chalcogenide variable resistor or an ion-conducting chalcogenide variable resistor. It has been shown in the laboratory to be capable of producing a continuous range of resistance values from 10 MOhm, achieved by programming the resistor using fast pulses (< 10 ns) with selective voltage amplitudes.